


PENCIS: When Tony Met Jethro

by Jacie



Category: NCIS
Genre: 2014 NCIS Big Bang, Action/Adventure, Alternate Reality, Alternate Universe, Big Bang Challenge, Captivity, Death, First Time, Hurt/Comfort, Injury, M/M, Marine Corps, Missions, Snipers, Terrorists
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-10-15
Updated: 2014-10-15
Packaged: 2018-02-21 07:46:28
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Rape/Non-Con, Underage
Chapters: 6
Words: 12,528
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2460467
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Jacie/pseuds/Jacie
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Marine Gunnery Sergeant Leroy Jethro Gibbs is on assignment behind enemy lines. After taking out a terrorist group, he and his partner release the prisoners the terrorists were holding. Gibbs learns that one of the captives is an American teenager and is determined to get him back to safety. When he realizes what an asshole Tony's father is, Gibbs offers to let Tony spend the rest of the summer at his DC home once they're back in the States.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter One

**Author's Note:**

> WARNING: Sexual situations, Non-con, Tony is seventeen (briefly) when they meet.  
> Written for the 2014 NCIS Big Bang at ncis_bang community at Live Journal.
> 
> Much gratitude to maramcgregor for her beta services. Any remaining mistakes are my own as I definitely tinkered with the story after she'd seen it.
> 
> Many thanks to KJ_Svala for the wonderful artwork!  
>  **[View all the artwork/animations created for this story and leave feedback for the artist here on LJ](http://over-thehills.livejournal.com/91765.html)** or **[now posted here on AO3](http://archiveofourown.org/works/2474039)**.
> 
>  

The sun was blazing hot, beating down on a land that offered little shade. Fully camouflaged, Gibbs looked through his scope. His partner, McKenzie, was beside him peering through a pair of binoculars and whispering brief comments on any movement he saw. There was virtually no wind, the only sounds were from the insects and grass surrounding them. Gibbs could feel every drop of sweat that rolled down his face, but he ignored each one. He had a mission.

It had been three days since the pair had been dropped behind enemy lines with an assignment. They had been ordered to take down a man known as the leader of the area’s most radical terrorist cell. The pair had memorized the man’s face from photos and the way he moved from a handful of videos the Marines had come across.

They’d passed by a small town, skirting it under the cover of night. Gibbs didn’t know the name of the town, nor did he care. They had been given a map, a compass and coordinates for their drop, their mission and their recovery. Hours ticked by as they stood vigil, waiting for their known target to appear.

“Truck,” whispered McKenzie.

“I see it,” Gibbs responded softly, moving his finger to the trigger. “Is it ours?”

“No markings. It’s stopping.”

They watched as the truck came to a halt and a few armed soldiers lifted the canvas cover at the rear and began pulling people out. Some landed on their feet, while others fell to the ground surrounded by a cloud of dust. The captors kicked them until they scrambled to their feet and to the side of the road.

Gibbs and McKenzie watched as the soldiers lined up their prisoners beside a ditch. Then another man got out from the front of the truck. Standing at the side of the road, he took a piss. Afterward, he walked over to the line of prisoners and appeared to be yelling at them. Some he shoved or struck. When he came the young man at the end of the line, he pushed him to his knees. As the terrorist stood in front of the teenager, he unzipped his pants and forced his captive to take his cock into his mouth.

Tony DiNozzo had accompanied his father on a business trip to the Middle East. While they were in the city they had hired a car and driver. Several days into their visit, they had boarded a train to journey across the country. When the train was stopped, Tony found himself separated from his father. He’d been taken captive, held and beaten. With his hands tied behind his back, he’d found himself crammed into the back of a truck with several other men. It was hot and the bumpy ride made it clear they weren’t traveling by paved roads. 

Whenever they stopped, the prisoners were often hustled out of the truck and made to line up. Their captors walked before them, often physically lashing out and yelling, but Tony had no idea what they were saying. The captives hadn’t been fed more than a small piece of bread in two days and weren’t given much water. All of the men were dirty and sweaty.

It barely even registered with Tony when one of the captors forced him to his knees and shoved his cock inside his mouth. Tony didn’t care. It wasn’t the first time he’d performed oral sex on a man. Closing his eyes, he sucked the man’s penis. The shock was when the cock was pulled out quickly and Tony heard the man fall to the ground. Opening his eyes, he saw blood coming from the man’s head as the other terrorists came running toward them.

Another one dropped, then a third. Looking around, Tony was confused. He didn’t see anyone shooting and hadn’t heard anything beyond the soft thud of bodies hitting the dirt road. Suddenly, there was a lot of frantic yelling, but Tony couldn’t understand a word of it. One of the terrorists reacted by raising his rifle, taking aim and shooting prisoners.

Tony cringed at the sound of shots fired and quickly made a decision. By dropping into the dirt and rolling into the nearby ditch, he hoped to save his life. Maybe if the terrorists thought he was dead, he might survive the day. And then what? He had no idea where he was. It was clear they were in a desolate area. Without food, water or survival skills, what were his chances? Maybe it would be better if they shot him. He waited, but the shot never came.

A couple minutes later, the truck’s engine roared to life. Tony heard the gears shift as the vehicle started down the road. More shots sounded. He could hear bullets striking metal and covered his head with his arms to protect himself. Within moments, he heard the sound of the truck crashing against boulders at the side of the road. It was obvious when the engine stopped running. Remaining still and listening intently, Tony heard no footsteps, only a few moans from those lying injured around him.

A short distance away, the Marines looked over the scene, watching to see if any of the terrorists were still alive. Gibbs made the first move, coming out from behind the rock they were using for cover.

“You’re not going down there,” said McKenzie as he grabbed Gibbs’ sleeve.

“We got the bad guys. We are not leaving those civilians down there tied up. They’re going to die.”

“I don’t see anyone moving. The way the terrorists were shooting, they’re probably all dead already.”

“I need to know. Those captives deserve to be freed.”

“Fine. We go down there, you find someone alive and then what? We don’t have enough rations to feed anyone else.”

“They can have mine.”

“Sure, why not? Then we can bring them all with us on our way back to the pickup point. Seeing a group of men picking their way cross country on foot isn’t going to look suspicious at all or draw any unwanted attention. Especially considering that wrecked truck with all the dead bodies we’re leaving behind.”

“McKenzie!”

“What?”

“It’s the right thing to do. Besides, if they’re locals, they’re not going to want to share a ride with us anyway.”

McKenzie shook his head, but followed Gibbs down the mountainside. It took them over two hours to traverse the rocky terrain and reach the truck. Flies were buzzing around most of the bodies, but Gibbs made certain to check each one for a pulse anyway. There was obvious moaning. They found six men had survived. Gibbs looked over their wounds and patched them up as best he could while McKenzie watched for activity on the road.

Pulling out his knife, Gibbs freed their wrists and turned to McKenzie. “Tell them we saw a small village down the road. They can probably get food, water and shelter there.”

“It’s probably full of other terrorists and their families.”

“It’s their only chance. Tell them.”

Gibbs spoke a few languages himself, but wasn’t fluent enough in the local dialect to tell these men much of anything. He listened to McKenzie explaining to the small group and watched as he pointed down the road toward the town.

As Gibbs made his way to the end of the ditch, he noticed the very last body wasn’t bleeding, but it also wasn’t moving. Picking up the body, he pushed it onto the road and cut the rope binding the wrists. That’s when he noticed the eyes were barely cracked open, watching him.

“American?” asked Gibbs.

“Yeah.”

“What are you doing with this bunch?”

“Wrong place, wrong time, I guess.”

“How old are you?”

“Seventeen. I was traveling with my dad on a train. These guys stopped the train and grabbed a few of us.”

“What about your father?”

“I don’t know. We got separated and I haven’t seen him since the train. He wasn’t in the truck.”

“My name is Gunnery Sergeant Gibbs, US Marines. My partner is Gunnery Sergeant McKenzie.”

“So they really do send in the Marines to rescue people?”

“Sometimes. We were sent to take out the leader of the terrorist cell. Never knew you were here until now.”

“Oh.” Tony couldn’t help the disappointment in his voice. It would have been cool if his father had called the US Ambassador and insisted they send in every Marine and SEAL in the area to search for his son, but that’s obviously not what happened. Tony wondered if anyone was looking for him at all or if his father had even bothered to report that he was missing from the train.

Feeling Gibbs shake his shoulder brought Tony back to the present.

“What’s your name?”

“Anthony DiNozzo, Junior, although I prefer being called Tony.”

“You’re coming with us,” Gibbs said as he helped the teen to his feet.

McKenzie shook his head. “Gibbs, we can’t. We don’t have enough food and water. Besides, he has no camouflage and is in no shape to join us on the journey we have to take. Considering the shape he’s in, he’s never going to make it to the rendezvous on time. He will slow us down. We’ll miss our pickup.”

Gibbs stood squarely in front of McKenzie, staring him in the eye. “I’m not leaving him behind. I’ll share my rations. As filthy as he is right now, he’ll probably blend right into the terrain.”

“He’ll give away our location. He is going to get us killed.”

“I’m bringing him along. If you’re concerned about your safety, we can split up. It would be better if we did. We can meet back up at the pickup point.”

“Damn it, Gibbs!”

“I will not leave him behind.”

Backing away, McKenzie glanced around the area. “You watch your six, Gunny.”

Tony and Gibbs watched as McKenzie took off, quickly disappearing from their view.

“Wow,” said Tony eventually. “I can’t believe he just left.”

“Better odds if we split up. The more people traveling together, the harder it is to sneak by without being seen. Splitting up is the best chance for us all to survive.”

Tony watched as Gibbs began rummaging through the wreckage of the truck. Not knowing what else to do, Tony meandered up behind him.

“You’re a sniper, right?”

“Yep. What was your first clue?”

“That looks like a real long range weapon you’re carrying. And of course, all the dead bodies.”

Gibbs chuckled. “They were bad men. I hope you’re not going to lose any sleep over them. I know I won’t.”

“I won’t either. I don’t know why they took me.”

“Maybe they thought you could be ransomed, or turned.”

“Turned?”

“Become a terrorist like them. Maybe with a little brain washing, they could pack you up with explosives and send you into a market place to see what kind of damage you could do on their behalf.”

Tony swallowed hard. He watched as Gibbs pulled a first aid kit, food and a couple of canteens from the truck.

“This is good,” Gibbs said. “Get over here, Tony.”

As Gibbs began loading him up with a canteen and a makeshift pack, Tony cringed slightly, then asked, “What did McKenzie mean when he told you to watch your six?”

“It’s like a clock,” Gibbs explained. “When you’re facing forward, that would be twelve o’clock. That makes your ass at six o’clock.”

“He told you to watch your ass! Got it.”

“Yep. We’re going to have to move fast and hard. If we don’t get to the pickup point on time, we just might be left behind enemy lines to fend for ourselves.”

“Are you kidding?”

“No. It’s nothing to joke about. Are you okay to travel?”

“I’m a little sore. They beat us and kept us tied up.”

“Embrace the pain, kid. Always makes me feel alive.”

“Why is that?”

“Dead men feel no pain. If you’re hurting, you know you’re still alive. Let’s get moving. Sooner or later someone is going to come down this road and it will be far better for us if we’re not seen.”

Tony struggled a bit, but did his best to keep up with the Marine. With Gibbs taking point, he would often stop and survey the terrain in front of them. By the time Tony had caught up, Gibbs was ready to go again.

“Can’t I rest just a few minutes, please?” Tony pleaded.

“Take a sip of water, quickly. Then we have to go. We have to keep moving. If you stay still too long around here, you might get shot.”

“Where are we going?” 

“We have a chopper scheduled to pick us up. We have to make that pickup point if we want to survive.”

“You Marines are pretty hardcore.”

“We have a job to do and we do it.”

“Then you run for the chopper.”

“Yep. And Tony,” Gibbs began.

“Yeah?”

“If you talked a little less, you would have more energy to get you to where we’re going.”

Smiling, Tony offered a silent thumbs up.

Gibbs chuckled and gently stroked Tony’s hair, “Attaboy.”

Instead of sleeping, they kept moving through the darkness of night. Tony stumbled often, unable to see much. Gibbs always caught him and got him back on course. Once daylight broke, Gibbs allowed the boy a half hour of sleep before nudging him with a foot and nodding forward, indicating that they needed to get moving again.

Tony couldn’t believe Gibbs’ stamina. Instead of stopping for meals, he chewed his food while he walked. The only time he stopped was to survey the area around them or to take a piss. Not only was he watching where they were going, but also behind them.

“We’ve already been there. Why do you keep looking back?”

“To make sure we’re not being followed and to ensure it’s still a viable escape route if we need it.”

“Got it. What do we do if we find that our path is blocked?” 

“We find another way around and hope we make it to the pickup point in time.”

When Tony was close to thinking he couldn’t take another step, Gibbs gave him the signal to squat down and to remain still and quiet. Minutes passed the pair by. Tony felt tempted to wave a hand in front of the Marine’s face, but was afraid he may just cut if off. He’d seen the knife Gibbs carried. Remaining frozen in place made his body ache even more. He hurt when he walked, but didn’t have time to think much about it. Now, as he tried his best not to move or make a sound, his whole body felt like it was broken and on fire. He could feel the sweat rolling down his face.

“Gibbs, I can’t,” he whispered as he fell to his side, grabbing his ribs. “Sorry. I’m so sorry.”

Placing his hand on Tony’s forehead, Gibbs was concerned he may have a fever as he checked him over for other signs of heat stroke. Once they were back, he’d insist the doctor look Tony over first.

“Do you feel dizzy?”

“A little. It hurts?”

“What hurts? Where’s your pain?” asked Gibbs.

“Ribs. Can’t breathe.”

Lifting the boy’s shirt, Gibbs searched for any obvious injuries. When he pressed lightly on Tony’s ribs, he felt the teen’s body tense up as his muscles went into spasm. 

Despite being hot, sweaty and dirty, Gibbs drew the boy close, holding him against his chest. “Try to relax and breathe as slowly as you can.”

“I can’t catch my breath. What’s wrong with me?”

“I’m not a doctor, Tony. You don’t have any obvious wounds beyond a few scrapes and bruises.”

“Am I going to die?” Tony desperately tried to keep the panic out of his voice.

“You’re going to be fine. Just sit tight for a couple more hours.”

A slight noise made Tony jump.

“Glad to see you both here,” said McKenzie. “How’s the kid?”

“He’s hurting, but we made it. He did great.”

Tears began prickling his eyes. It wasn’t the pain from his injury. It was that he had just been complimented by a stranger, someone he’d only met a few hours earlier. His father never complimented him. All Senior ever seemed to do was either yell at him or ignore him.

Snuggling closer to Gibbs, he felt safer and more secure than he had in years.


	2. Chapter Two

McKenzie and Gibbs spoke softly while Tony drifted in and out of consciousness. As he slept, Tony had wrapped his arm around Gibbs, so there was no way he could untangle himself from the teenager without waking him. McKenzie smiled at Gibbs as he rose to his feet without argument or discussion. They both knew one of them had to take a look around the area to make sure they were all safe.

It was dark out when Gibbs shook Tony awake and motioned for him to keep quiet. The whirring of the helicopter rotors was barely audible as it landed a few feet away. It was obviously made for stealth missions.

“How can they fly in the dark with no lights?” Tony asked groggily.

“Night vision.”

“Hmmm,” Tony mumbled as he drifted back into unconsciousness.

Hefting Tony across his shoulder, Gibbs made his way to the helicopter and handed the boy over to a crewmember before jumping inside himself. McKenzie followed them aboard and gave the thumbs up. The chopper wasn’t on the ground for more than five minutes before they were taking off again.

“Who’s the kid?” asked the crewmember who had pulled him on board.

Leaning against the side of the chopper, Gibbs replied, “Terrorists had him. He’s American. I couldn’t leave him behind.”

“This is no place for a civilian. I’m glad you got him out, Gunny.”

Gibbs smiled. The crew knew he had a kind heart behind all his gruffness. Within minutes he was asleep. He’d been awake for far too long, but now that the mission was over, he was happy leaving his life in the pilot’s hands while he rested.

Dawn was breaking as they landed at a small military base. They were still in the Middle East, but miles away from where they’d been picked up. It was still hot. Gibbs yawned and stretched.

“My compliments to the pilot and crew,” he said as he climbed out of the helicopter.

A military ambulance was waiting for them close to where they touched down. Gibbs watched as they checked Tony’s vitals and strapped him onto a gurney. After loading him onto the vehicle they sped away, leaving Gibbs behind them, watching them fade into the distance.

“Oorah,” exclaimed McKenzie as he bumped fists with Gibbs. “Nice shooting out there Gunny.”

“You weren’t so bad yourself.”

“If we’re lucky, we have about two minutes to shower before we’re due to debrief.”

“I’m not sure who smells worse, me or the kid,” said Gibbs.

“I think he has you beat. Who knows how long he was held captive. With his hands tied behind him he probably didn’t have any choice but to piss his pants.”

“So that’s what that smell was!”

“He sure was ripe,” said McKenzie as they entered the makeshift shower room. “The hospital will get him cleaned up and patched up in no time. He’s going to be fine, thanks to you”

“As soon as we debrief, I’m going to go check on him.”

“You do that, Gibbs. Are you sure you’re not turning into a mother hen?”

Gibbs playfully shoved McKenzie as he hopped into the shower. The water was warm, which was a rarity out in the field. After their mission, having any sort of a shower felt like a luxury. Gibbs remembered plenty of times when they went without. Where they were now, water was still very limited so the shower routine was to get wet quickly and shut the water off while soaping up. Turning the water back on briefly, the men were expected to rinse off as fast as they could before drying themselves with a rough towel.

It felt good to the pair to dress in clean clothes and to shave again. They’d both gotten a bit scruffy out in the field.

“You sure do clean up nice,” McKenzie teased.

“You finally smell better than a barnyard,” Gibbs shot back.

“Gibbs, McKenzie, let’s go!” hollered Lieutenant Baker. 

It took them an hour to check in with the base officers, disclose what happened and answer questions. Afterward, both men were tired and made their written reports as brief as they thought they could get by with.

“I’m glad that’s over,” said McKenzie as he signed off on his report.

“Me, too.”

“You going to find the kid?”

“Yeah. They have to be done checking him out by now. I’m sure he’s just hungry, tired and dehydrated.”

“He’ll be up and around in no time and he has you to thank for it.”

“Us. We’re a team McKenzie. We got him back together.”

“Shit, Gibbs. I would have left his ass in the desert. You’re the hero. If his daddy is as rich as he says, maybe you’ll get a nice reward.”

“I don’t need a damn reward to do my job. I’m just glad we got him back alive.”

“Gibbs! Get your ass over here,” called Captain Fuller. “Double time, Gunny.”

“Yes sir, Captain,” he called back loudly. Turning back to McKenzie, he mumbled softly, “No rest for the weary.”

“Must be up for a medal for saving that kid,” said McKenzie.

The hairs at the back of his neck began to prickle as he entered the room. The atmosphere immediately turned heavy and stifling, making him uncomfortable. A Chaplain was in the room looking quite solemn. 

“I’m sorry, Jethro,” said the Captain.

Major Hall was in the room as well. “Sit down, Gunny.”

“That’s okay, Sir.”

“Not an option. Take a seat.”

The chair scraped across the bare floor as he pulled it out and sat in it, facing the Major.

“Who died?” Gibbs asked softly.

“The NIS agent assigned to watch your family was driving your van. A shooter took him out. One shot. Your wife, Shannon, died immediately when the vehicle crashed. Your daughter, Kelly, was taken to the hospital, but they were unable to save her. The injuries were too massive. I am terribly sorry.”

Gibbs bit his lip and shook his head. Gone. His whole life was gone. One minute, he’s a happily married man and a father of a beautiful little girl. The next minute, they’re both gone and he’s a widower. Alone.

Standing up, Gibbs cleared his throat. “Thank you, Sir.”

Stepping forward, the Chaplain placed a hand on his arm. “I’ll get you home.”

“Not necessary,” insisted Gibbs.

“You’ll want to be home for the funerals.”

“Why? It won’t bring them back.” 

“Your presence will be a comfort to your friends and family.”

“ _They_ were my family,” said Gibbs as he eyed the door.

“This is a troubling time. I’m sure you’re confused, not thinking straight. Perhaps we should talk more tomorrow?”

Turning sharply, Gibbs faced the Chaplain, standing rather close. “Look, Padre. There’s nothing anyone can do to bring them back. There is nothing more for us to discuss.”

Standing up quickly, the Major stepped around his desk and addressed Gibbs. “You’re dismissed, Gunny.”

“Thank you, Sir.”

As they were still close to the front lines, Gibbs carried a sidearm with him. It was in his hip holster as he wandered a short distance from the camp. Out in a field he sat down on a large boulder and held the gun in front of him, pointing it at his face. He tried to think of reasons why he shouldn’t pull the trigger. The only thought he had was for his fellow Marines. It didn’t matter. If he was gone, they’d bring in someone else, another Marine to replace him.

Lost in his thoughts, he didn’t notice someone was approaching until they were only a few feet away. What difference did it make if he pulled the trigger, or if it was someone else?

Looking up, he saw it was Tony, wearing a hospital gown and slippers.

“What?” he snapped.

“I wanted to thank you.”

“For what?”

“For saving me. We both know I would have died out there if you’d left me behind.”

“I’m not going to leave some kid alone to fend for himself in hostile territory. What kind of asshole do you think I am?”

“No, you’re not. I think that’s more a description of my dad.”

“Is he on his way here to see you?”

“I don’t think so.”

“Weren’t they able to contact him?” asked Gibbs.

“Yeah, they found him. He’s already back in the States. He said he was working a business deal and can’t get away.”

Gibbs stared at Tony in disbelief. He could see the pain of disappointment in the boy’s eyes and his posture. His head hung down.

“Tony, I’m sorry. I can’t believe he’s not taking the first plane back here to get you. I would if you were my kid. Hell, I never would have left the country until you were found.”

“My dad’s not an easy guy.”

“What about your mother?”

“She died when I was eight. I heard it was a car accident. No one ever really explained to me how she died. She was in the hospital for a while. One day the housekeeper told me that she had died and wasn’t coming home. When my father found me crying, he said everybody dies and to suck it up. I really hated him that night.”

Looking at the gun in his hands, Gibbs turned it around, pointing the barrel at the ground.

“My mom died when I was a kid. Cancer is what I was told.” 

“I’m sorry, Gibbs. What about your dad?”

“He runs a general store in my hometown.”

“Do you see him much?”

“Not really. As soon as I was old enough, I joined the Marines and left town. Never went back.”

“I don’t think I’m going to go back either.”

“What about school?”

“I have a full scholarship to Ohio State University. I can get a job. The doctor said I should be fully healed by then.” 

“It looks like they patched you up pretty good. What was wrong?”

“I have some cracked ribs. Between that and the heat, it was hard to breathe.”

“That will do it.”

Breathing in as deeply as he was able, Tony continued, “I was hungry and dehydrated, too. They kept me on an IV for a while, but I finally talked them in to taking it out so I could walk around.”

“How are you feeling now? You’re not dizzy or anything, are you.”

“No, I’m okay. I just need a few weeks to recuperate and I will be fine.”

“Did they arrange transport back to the States for you?”

“Yeah. I could go now, but they said it would be painful. The trip may make it worse. I can’t risk it taking much longer to heal, not if I want to be ready to start college this semester. I thought I’d stick around here for a bit until I’m feeling better.”

“This is a happening place,” Gibbs said sarcastically.

“I don’t want to go back to my dad, to his house,” admitted Tony. “I can’t afford my own place. Not yet. They’re not charging me a thing to stay here or for the doctors, meals or anything.”

“Yeah, the military is full of perks.”

“The food could be better.”

“Kid, you’re getting the top of the line here. What we get out in the field isn’t nearly as tasty and sometimes you have to eat it cold. You can’t always stop to heat it up when you’re in battle mode or on a mission with a tight schedule.”

“That sucks.”

“That’s what I signed up for.”

“I’m glad we met, Gibbs. Hey, what would you think if I joined up?”

“Enlisted?”

“Yeah.”

“For starters, you’d have to get a haircut.”

“True. I am starting to feel a little dizzy. Do you mind helping me get back?”

“Sure, kid.” 

Holstering his weapon, Gibbs put an arm around Tony’s shoulder and began helping him back to camp.

“You sure do smell better,” said Gibbs.

“So do you! I think they burned my clothing.”

“You were definitely rank.”

“Look who’s talking!”

“I was blending into the environment,” insisted Gibbs. “If I smelled like soap, the bad guys would know I was coming a mile away.”

Relying on Gibbs to take his weight, Tony leaned against him. There was something about the gruff Marine that made him feel horny as hell. As they returned to the hospital building, Tony wondered what would happen if he propositioned Gibbs. Would he accept? Would he punch Tony in the face?

“Are you married, Gibbs?”

“Yes,” he said, quickly followed by a sullen, “No.”

“Okay. Right. I’m single, of course.”

“You must be tired. I’m sure your doctors want you resting up so you can heal quickly.”

“Really, Gibbs, it only hurts when I laugh. Or talk. Or walk or try to breathe.”

“DiNozzo!”

“Yeah?”

“Shut up.”

“Shutting up, Boss,” said Tony. He was more than willing to be subservient to Gibbs and wanted to make sure he knew.

Gibbs didn’t know what he felt. He was despondent over losing his beloved wife and young daughter, but somehow, Tony tugged at his heart.


	3. Chapter Three

Lying in his hospital bed, Tony slept more than he normally did, but the inactivity left him feeling restless. He could hear the Marines playing basketball outside and longed to join them. Whenever he shifted slightly, he felt the sharp pains and settled back onto the thin mattress. He knew he was in no shape to be doing anything very active.

Other than being bored out of his mind, it wasn’t too bad. He borrowed books from anyone who was willing to loan one. Sometimes he flirted with the nurses and sometimes with the doctors. None of them took him very seriously since he was still a minor and on pain medication.

Gibbs stopped by often. Sometimes McKenzie accompanied him on a visit. Whenever Tony complained of being bored, Gibbs offered to take him out walking. 

Although the hospital had a concrete floor, it appeared to be a temporary building. It reminded Tony of a M*A*S*H unit. He wondered if that was truly what it was. Outside was usually hot and dusty. On really bad days, the Marines wrapped cloth across their mouths and noses.

Tony enjoyed his walks with Gibbs. When he grew tired or sore, they would stop so he could rest. He liked sitting beside Gibbs when he could, on the ground or a boulder. If it was really hot, Gibbs might move over slightly. Tony would only smile and lean against him, resting his head on Gibbs’ shoulder.

It took a couple of days before Gibbs shared his story with Tony. “Their names were Shannon and Kelly. I loved them so much.”

“Who?”

“My wife and daughter. They were killed.”

“I’m really sorry, Gibbs. How long ago?”

“Not long. They told me the day we got back from the last mission.”

“You mean, they just died?”

“During my last mission.”

“While you were saving me?”

“It’s not your fault. It had nothing to do with you or my assignment.”

“I know. It reminds me of that saying, though. How when one door closes, another door opens.”

“I think I fell in love with Shannon the first time I saw her. She’s so beautiful. Then when I got to know her a little bit, I found that she was smart, funny, creative and so full of life.”

“How old was Kelly?”

“Eight going on nineteen.”

“So young. Can I ask how they died?”

“They were murdered. They were under NIS protection. Shannon had witnessed a murder and was going to testify. Before the case went to trial, someone took a shot at our van. The bullet struck the NIS agent driving the vehicle in the head. The van went out of control and crashed. Shannon died instantly. Kelly died a couple hours after they got her to the hospital.”

“That’s horrible. I am so sorry. If there’s anything I can do. I mean, if there was anything I could do to help, I would.”

“You’re a good kid, DiNozzo.”

“Are you going to be okay?”

“Maybe. One day.” Pausing, Gibbs shook his head. “Damn! I wish I had been there to protect them.”

“You told me before, this is your job. You were doing your job.”

“It doesn’t make it any easier.”

“I know. I mean, I can imagine.”

“I’m going back to the States,” admitted Gibbs.

Tony’s shock was noticeable. “When?”

“Soon. They’ve decided to put me on leave.”

“For how long?”

“Two weeks. I’m not sure what I’m going to do after that.”

“Maybe I could fly back with you and keep you company for a couple weeks.”

“Sure. And yes, you can stay with me. My couch is pretty comfy.”

“I just want to be there for you,” insisted Tony. “I want to thank you for saving my life, but can’t offer much more than keeping you company for a while.”

“Of course.”

“Have you planned the funeral?”

“Shannon’s mom offered. I talked to her a few days ago and told her to plan whatever she thought would be best.”

Leaning into Gibbs, Tony wrapped one arm around him.

“When does your semester start?” Gibbs asked.

“Late August. I have to register for classes.”

“What’s your major?”

“Physical Education. I have an Athletic scholarship.”

“What sport?”

“Football and basketball. My dad was furious when I told him.”

“About what?”

“That I have an Athletic scholarship, that I’m going to attend Ohio State University and that I’m majoring in Phys Ed. If he had his way, I would have gotten a full scholarship to Harvard Business School and it wouldn’t have been for sports. He’d like for me to have _that_ education. He’s all about status. Only an Ivy League school would impress his friends. But he sure as hell wouldn’t want to pay for it.”

“Were you ever close to your dad?”

“Not really. We spent some time together when I was younger, I guess. Mom’s death changed a lot. I’ve lost count of how many times he’s been married and divorced since. After Mom died, Dad shipped me off to boarding school. I remember this time he took me on a business trip to Hawaii. He called it a vacation, but he left me alone at the hotel all the time. Once he was gone for three days, hooking up with some woman.” Shaking his head slowly, Tony began to laugh. “You should have seen his face when he got the hotel bill with all my room service. What choice did I have? He’d left me alone with no money. I didn’t know I could eat in the restaurant and charge it to the room, so I had them sending up room service.”

“Three meals a day?”

“More like four or five. Hey, I was a growing boy and needed snacks. That hotel had room service twenty-four seven. It was great. I had all that food and lots of free time on the beach.”

“I fly home tomorrow.”

“Where’s home?”

“We own a place in DC, but for now they’re flying me back to Camp Pendleton where I’m assigned.”

“Where’s that?”

“California. I have to check in before going to DC for the funerals. Afterward, I’ll return to Camp Pendleton for a few more days. There’s an ongoing investigation into the deaths of my wife and daughter. I want to talk to the agent in charge of the case. I have to pack up our things and close out our living quarters there and decide what I’m going to do next.”

“I can help you if you want. I’m pretty good at packing things up.”

“I have a Marine buddy watching the DC house, but called him to let him know I’ll be moving back in sooner than originally planned.”

“If we’re leaving in the morning, I guess we’d both better pack our things.”

“What do you have to pack? All you had were the clothes on your back and you said they burned those.”

“That is true. In that case, I’m ready to go.”

Gibbs smiled at Tony. He was smart, likable and, for a kid who grew up wealthy, he didn’t seem the slightest bit stuck up or spoiled. He could sense a lot of pain, though. It made him dislike Tony’s father despite never meeting the man.

When they caught their ride on a cargo jet, Tony only had a small bag, which contained a toothbrush, toothpaste, razor, shaving cream, water bottle, a comb and a bar of soap with a plastic box to keep it in. The hospital staff had obtained a green T-shirt, a green jacket, a pair of camouflage pants and a pair of old combat boots for him.

“See Gibbs? I could be a Marine.”

“The clothes don’t make the man, DiNozzo.”

As they boarded the plane, Tony looked around. “There aren’t any seats.”

“It’s a cargo plane. You sit along the edge on the benches.”

On second look, Tony saw what Gibbs was talking about. “It’s going to be a long flight.”

“It doesn’t take any longer on a cargo plane than on a passenger jet.”

“I just meant that it doesn’t look very comfortable.”

“Maybe not, but it is our ride home. Unless you want to call your dad to see if he’ll spring for a ticket on a commercial flight.”

“No.”

“He wouldn’t buy you a ticket?”

“I don’t want to call him. I don’t want to talk to him. This will be fine.”

“Can’t say that I blame you,” said Gibbs as he took a seat.

Tony sat down beside him.

“Other side.”

“What?”

“You should sit across the plane from me. Balances things out.”

“Oh. That’s not frightening at all. You know, the thought that if I move or sit over here, I’ll throw the plane off balance.”

Gibbs shrugged. “Maybe, maybe not. I rather not find out. Especially if we hit a bad storm or a lot of turbulence during the flight. It’s not a fun way to wake up.”

“You think you’re going to be able to sleep in this thing?”

“Sure. It’s a long flight.”

Not long after they took off, Tony looked over at Gibbs and sure enough, the Marine appeared to be sound asleep with his arms folded across his chest, while he was still sitting upright on the hard bench seat. His head was tilted slightly forward, his legs wide apart for balance.

Tony shook his head. “I don’t know how you do it, Gibbs,” he said softly.

Despite finally falling asleep lying on the bench, Tony didn’t sleep for long. As the plane flew through turbulence, he rolled onto the floor, waking up when he fell.

“This sucks!” he yelled.

Gibbs cracked his eyes open for a minute, smiled, then immediately went back to sleep.

When they did land to refuel, both Tony and Gibbs got out of the plane to stretch their legs.

“Rough night, DiNozzo?”

“I feel like someone took me out back and beat the crap out of me. I can see why the doctor suggested I wait until my ribs had healed a little.”

“How are they feeling?”

“A little sore. Doctor Robbins taped me up and put a pressure bandage on me before I left.” Lifting up his shirt, Tony let Gibbs inspect the bandaging.

“Looks like he did a good job.”

Back on the flight, they had meals of MRE combat rations.

“I thought you might enjoy knowing what we have to eat out in the field.”

“You forget, I traveled with you when you rescued me. You shared your rations.”

“Yeah, but it was supplemented by food I’d scavenged from the truck.”

“What do you want me to say? The hospital food was slightly better than this?”

“Only slightly?”

“It doesn’t taste a whole lot different to me.”

Settling back in his seat, Gibbs added, “Maybe you should think about it again after eating MREs for two or three weeks straight.”

“I think I’ll go to college instead of becoming a Marine.”

“Good choice. For you.”

By the time they arrived in Camp Pendleton, Tony was ready to find the nearest bed and collapse. However, Gibbs had other ideas. With his bag slung over his shoulder, he began walking, motioning for Tony to follow.

“Don’t you Marines have Jeeps?”

“A few. Not enough for everyone.”

When Gibbs checked in at the office, he had Tony fill out some forms so he could be issued a visitor’s pass. He had to ask for a duplicate key to his residence. 

“I was expecting Shannon to be here when I got back,” he explained. “She would have had her keys with her. My set is locked inside the apartment.

Once they dropped off Gibbs’ duffle bag, Gibbs borrowed a car and took Tony out to a diner. The burgers were huge and the fries were fresh cut in the back.

“Now this is a meal worth eating!” Tony exclaimed as he reached for his chocolate shake.

Their next stop was to the NIS office where Gibbs met with Mike Franks, the agent assigned to the case. 

“Working on it, Gunny. We suspect it was tied to the case your wife was going to testify on.”

“Obviously.”

“One thing you need to get straight here. We need proof and evidence. What I _think_ won’t make a case or hold up in court.”

Gibbs nodded slowly, disappointed that the man who had murdered his family wasn’t already behind bars.

Back at Gibbs’ base housing, he motioned to the couch. “Don’t get too comfortable. Tomorrow we have to fly to DC. I heard from Joann, Shannon’s mother. She has the funerals scheduled in two days.”

“Okay,” Tony mumbled as he flopped onto the couch still fully dressed. Sleep came to him quickly.


	4. Chapter Four

The smell of coffee brewing woke Tony early the next morning. Rubbing his hand across his chest, he realized he was wearing the same clothes he’d been in for the entire flight. Blinking his eyes, he walked into the kitchen, his hair sticking out in every direction.

“Mind if I take a shower?”

“Go ahead. Towels are in the linen closet.”

“Thanks.”

After a quick shower, Tony wrapped a towel around his waist and stumbled back into the kitchen. There were still marks on his body indicating where the compression bandage had been.

“Got you some OJ,” said Gibbs as he sipped his coffee and read the paper.

“Thanks, Gibbs.”

Tony noticed there were two sausage and egg biscuits still in their wrappers on the table.

“They’re yours. Eat up.”

Tony smiled broadly. “Thank you!”

“I can take you to a used clothing store, if you want to get something else to wear.”

“Used?”

“They wash them before they put them out for sale.”

“I’ve never bought used clothing before.”

Putting down his paper, Gibbs looked at Tony. “I’m not your father. I don’t have a lot of money. I’m guessing you aren’t carrying a load of cash or any credit cards on you.”

“Nope. I appreciate the offer. It’s very nice of you and I will pay you back, every penny.”

“No need, really.”

“You have no reason to spend your money on me, Gibbs,” Tony said between bites.

“Consider yourself my personal pet project.”

“Since when?”

“Since I pulled your scrawny, busted up ass out of the desert.”

After their trip to the thrift store, Tony had a suitcase, several shirts, slacks and jeans to fill it with, along with a couple pairs of athletic shoes and a pair of sandals. He was more than happy to change out of the bulky combat boots. 

“Can I borrow twenty bucks?” he asked as they were getting back into the car.

Gibbs looked around before pulling into traffic. “What for?”

“Underwear and socks. Even poor people have to draw the line at wearing someone else’s underwear.”

Gibbs laughed. “Sure, I was headed that way anyway.”

An hour later, they returned the borrowed vehicle and caught a ride back to the airfield, Gibbs with his duffle bag and Tony with his suitcase. Much to Tony’s chagrin, they were catching another cargo flight.

On landing in DC, Gibbs’ Marine buddy, Sergeant Sousa, was there to pick them up. With his duffle bag slung over his shoulder, Gibbs gave Sousa a one armed hug.

“I am so sorry about Shannon and Kelly,” Sousa said. “It was devastating news. Did they catch the guy?”

Gibbs nodded. “They’re working on it. I spoke to the NIS agent running the case. He danced around his words. I gather he knows who’s responsible, but he doesn’t have enough proof to put him away.”

“That stinks,” said Sousa.

“He said he’d keep in touch.”

The trio stopped off for a steak dinner. Gibbs and Sousa drank a couple beers each, while Tony stuck with soda. 

“I can drive,” Tony offered after the meal.

Sousa slapped him on the back. “No need kid. I’m fine to drive and I’m betting you don’t know the way.”

When they arrived at the house, Tony noticed the couch was made up with sheets, a pillow and a blanket.

“I’ll take the sofa,” he offered.

“That’s where I’m sleeping,” said Sousa. “Another beer, Gunny?”

“Sure. Tony, you want a beer?”

“You know I’m only eighteen.”

“Eighteen? Why did you tell me you were seventeen?”

“I was. Yesterday was my birthday.”

“Then have a beer to celebrate. As long as you don’t leave the house until you’re sober, it’s fine. You can sleep in Kelly’s room. Upstairs.”

Tony looked up the staircase and nodded. Picking up the duffle and the suitcase together, he started upstairs. 

Sousa opened the beer bottles and handed one to Gibbs. “Where’d you pick up the kid?”

“Terrorists pulled him off a train. We were assigned to take out their leader. We released the local prisoners they were holding, but I couldn’t leave him behind. He was alone, seventeen and American. Get this, his dad reported him missing, then left the country.”

“Really? Wow.”

“Yeah. He left with his kid still missing. Even after I rescued Tony and his dad was notified, he didn’t come back for him. He said he had business to attend to in the States.”

“What an asshole!”

“Exactly. Tony’s a good kid though. Far from the spoiled brat you would expect him to be.”

“So there may be hope for him yet.”

“He’s about to start college.”

When Tony walked into the kitchen, he cleared his throat. “Gibbs?”

“Yeah?”

“You know I am forever in your debt and all and I don’t mean to insult you or whatever.”

“Spit it out, kid.”

“Kelly’s room. It’s a little girl’s room.”

“Do the dolls bother you?”

“No, not that. It’s a little girl’s bed. I don’t think I’ll fit. It’s tiny.”

Gibbs’ mood turned somber. “I built it for her,” he disclosed. “I built it just before she was born. It had side railings when she was a baby. When I found out we had a daughter, I added the princess canopy.”

“You built that?” Tony asked. “It’s a beautiful little bed, but it’s only like four feet long.”

“We were talking about getting her a new bed. Shannon was going to buy one, but I told her next time we were stationed near DC I would build Kelly whatever she wanted. She has a twin bed out in Camp Pendleton.”

“What are you going to do with the furniture in California?”

“We bought it all used, mostly at garage sales. I’ll just have one of my buddies sell it off. Most military families move around a lot. Shannon wanted to have a permanent home she could call hers. We bought this place with some money her grandparents left her. Whenever I was transferred, we’d rent this place out and live in military housing. We always knew we’d come back here eventually. When it wasn’t rented, Shannon and Kelly would come back here sometimes when I was out on tour.”

“I’m sure it was comforting to them to have the same house and familiar furniture,” said Tony.

“Yeah. She loved this place. Drink up, we’ll find you somewhere to sleep later.”

Tony nodded as he pulled another round of beers from the refrigerator.

“I’ll be out of here in a couple of days,” added Sousa. 

“You don’t have to,” Gibbs insisted.

“I’m getting reassigned anyway. Your tour has to be up any day now.”

“Yeah.”

“Did you sign up for another tour, yet?” Sousa asked.

“Not yet. Thinking about my options.”

“What options? You’ve been a Marine since you were Tony’s age.”

Gibbs smiled. “That is true. It doesn’t mean I can’t do something else.”

“Civilian life is different.”

“I’m sure it is. Maybe I’ll be a carpenter. Perhaps I’ll be a shoe salesman.”

“Shoes? Gunny, I think you’ve had enough to drink. I cannot see you selling shoes for a living.”

“I look good in a suit. I could be a salesman.”

“Take some time off, Gunny. Bury your girls and think about your future.”

“I never imagined a future without them.”

A couple hours later, Tony followed Gibbs upstairs and into the master bedroom.

“What are you doing?” Gibbs asked.

“I need a full sized bed to sleep in. The couch is taken. What other option is there?”

“Yeah, sure. Why not?”

Gibbs stripped down before stepping into the shower. When he returned, Tony was already asleep in the bed. It was obvious he was wearing no shirt. When Gibbs pulled back the covers, he realized that Tony wasn’t wearing anything. It was late, he was tired and Tony was already asleep. He didn’t think he had the energy to fight this battle tonight.

Dressing in boxers and a T-shirt, Gibbs crawled into bed beside Tony, turned the other way and fell asleep quickly.

Gibbs woke up first. Pulling back the sheets, he admired the youth’s body. He hadn’t paid much attention to the muscle tone before, but now, he could see that Tony indeed had an athletic physique. In addition to being a good person, the boy was also quite handsome.

Allowing the covers fall back into place, he stepped around the bed and shook Tony’s shoulder. “Time to get up.” Nodding toward Tony’s cock, he added, “You should probably take care of that.”

“You going to help?” Tony mumbled as he yawned.

“I’ll be downstairs,” said Gibbs as he left the room.

Tony immediately blushed. Did he really just ask Gibbs to help with his hard on? Reaching down, Tony stroked himself slowly, thinking about Gibbs. Realizing that they actually had just slept together in the same bed was an absolute turn on. Closing his eyes, he started pumping his cock faster and imagined he was having actual sex with Gibbs. He could almost feel their lips pressed together as Gibbs pushed his cock deep inside of him. In his thoughts it was Gibbs’ hand pumping his cock. Before long he ejaculated, spilling semen over his hand and the sheets and leaving a satisfied smile on his face.

Getting out of bed, he went into the bathroom and took a quick shower, dressed and went downstairs. Gibbs and Sousa were both at the table drinking coffee and eating scrambled eggs and toast.

“Have a seat,” Gibbs offered.

Tony found a place was already set for him at the table, with a glass of orange juice poured and waiting.

“What are the plans for today?” Tony asked.

“Funeral,” Gibbs replied softly. 

There wasn’t another word said throughout the rest of the meal.

After breakfast, Tony waited while Gibbs dressed in his suit.

“I’d like to wear a suit, too, out of respect,” said Tony.

Gibbs waved his fingers and led Tony back upstairs. In the bedroom, he pulled a suit and shirt from his closest.

“No offence, Gibbs, but I’m a little more slender than you.”

“Put the damn thing on, DiNozzo. It’s old, from when I was younger and thinner. It should fit you just fine.”

Tony did as he was told and dressed in the suit. Surprisingly, it fit pretty well. Gibbs even dug out an old pair of dress shoes for Tony to wear. 

“Doesn’t look half bad,” admitted Gibbs.

Stepping closer, Tony hugged Gibbs tightly. “Thank you. For everything.”

When they first arrived at the funeral home, Tony met Joann and Mac Fielding. Their pain was evident and Tony didn’t know what to say to them. Reaching out, he shook Mac’s hand and nodded to Joann. Later, at the burial site, he met Gibbs’ father Jackson and his date. Tony could tell Gibbs was fuming the moment he saw his dad.

As they drove home, Tony noted, “You don’t get along with your dad any more than I get along with mine.”

Gibbs’ gripped the steering wheel so hard, his knuckles turned white. “I just can’t believe he brought a date.”

“It’s been a long time since your mom died.”

“You don’t bring a date to a funeral.” A moment later, Gibbs shook his head. “Maybe you’re right. It was a bad time when my mom died. I guess I never forgave him for things that happened back then. We butted heads a lot, especially after mom was gone.”

“Yeah, sounds just like me and my dad.”


	5. Chapter Five

Two days later Sousa packed his things and moved out. Surprisingly enough, Gibbs never asked Tony to sleep anywhere else, so they continued to share the bed upstairs.

“Stay as long as you want to,” Gibbs offered.

“I called OSU. I’m all set up for the fall semester. I still need to go to orientation and choose my class schedule.”

“You’ll do fine.”

“Did you go to college, Gibbs?”

“No. I joined the Marines. Experience is the best education.”

“Are you going to re-enlist?”

“I don’t know. They still have me on leave for now. I had some time off coming to me anyway. I just got a call this morning from Special Agent Franks. He’s been reassigned to the NIS office in DC. He’ll be leading the Major Crimes Response Team.”

“Whatever that is.”

“I’d imagine it’s a lot of murders and major theft.”

“Do Majors get stolen often?”

Gibbs laughed gently.

“It’s good to see you smile.”

“It’s been difficult.”

“I know. My life was never the same after my mom died, but I knew I had to move on. Life isn’t in the past.”

“I know. I just feel so ---,” Gibbs began.

“Lost?”

“Yeah.”

Reaching across the table, Tony took hold of Gibbs’ hand and gave it a squeeze. “If there is anything I can do to help, just say the word.”

“I’m glad you’re here. I don’t know if I could do this alone.”

“You’re the one doing me a favor. Letting me stay here instead of having to go home to my dad is a huge relief.”

“He doesn’t deserve a son like you. I have a feeling you take after your mother.”

“I’ve been told that. She was a wonderful lady.”

“I’m sure she deserved better than your father.”

“It’s kind of funny. Mom came from a family with money. The older I got, the more I realized my dad was just a charming conman. He pretended to be wealthy, but I don’t think he was until he married my mother.”

“What a piece of work.”

“Exactly.”

“Anyway, when Franks called, he asked me to come down to NIS headquarters.”

“He’s still working on the case?”

“I don’t know. I guess I will find out. I’ll be back before dinner. I stocked up the fridge and pantry. Help yourself to anything in there.”

“Okay. I might go out for a run. Do you have an extra house key?”

“There’s no need to lock the door. Nothing here is worth stealing.”

Tony looked around. Gibbs could be right.

“Besides,” added Gibbs, “this neighborhood is mostly military and retired military. The neighbors are pretty good watchdogs.”

For dinner that evening, Gibbs introduced Tony to fireplace cooking. The smell of the sizzling steak was enticing. That night, they ate sitting on the sofa, watching a movie.

“Cowboy style,” Gibbs explained as he divided the steak and baked beans between two plates. 

“Not bad,” said Tony after taking a couple bites. 

“Food has a different flavor when cooked over an open flame. It tastes different depending on which wood or charcoal you use, too.”

“This wood, is it stuff left over from your carpentry projects?”

“Sometimes.”

“What did Franks have to say?”

“He offered me a job.”

“No way!”

“Yep, he asked if I was interested in becoming an NIS agent. I have to decide soon. They told him he needs a partner. He said he didn’t like the looks of any of the DC agents he’d met.”

“Are you going to take it?”

“I’m considering it. I have one last assignment before leaving the Marines though. I have an early flight out tomorrow.”

“For how long?”

“Just two or three days, hopefully.”

“What’s the mission?”

“Classified. The kitchen’s pretty well stocked and I’ll leave you the keys to the truck in case you need to drive anywhere. I left a couple hundred bucks on the dresser you can use if you need to buy something.”

“I’m good. I called my bank and had them transfer some funds down to DC for me. I’m all set.”

“Good.”

While Gibbs was away, Tony explored the house. After finding Gibbs’ gardening tools, he drove to a nursery and purchased several flowers, then set out planting them in Gibbs’ backyard. He hoped Gibbs would appreciate the gesture. If not, they could pull them back up and no harm done. He delighted in watering the lawn and pulling up the weeds. At his father’s estate, they had people hired to do such manual labor. 

Before Gibbs returned, he even washed the old truck. Standing back he didn’t think it looked much different when he was done. He wondered if he should suggest a new paint job for the faded truck. Inside the house, he scrubbed all the floors, cabinets and the bathrooms. At least he was keeping himself busy while Gibbs was away. 

The evening that Gibbs returned, Mike Franks was with him.

“Come on, Tony. I’m going to take you and Franks out to dinner.”

“Are we celebrating?”

“Sure. I’ve decided to go work with Mike at NIS.”

“They should really change the name,” said Tony as he pulled his shoes on.

“Why’s that?” asked Franks.

“You do realize what happens when you put PE in front of it, right?”

Franks frowned. “Well, now I do.”

“I’m majoring in Phys Ed at college. So you know, if I came to work for you, I’d be a PE major working for NIS.”

Gibbs shook his head and laughed.

“What does it stand for anyway?” Tony asked.

“Naval Investigative Service,” Franks informed him. “We investigate for the Navy and Marines.”

“They really should change the name and acronym,” said Tony as he went outside.

“Don’t think I’m going to hire your sorry ass when you graduate from college Mr. PE degree,” Mike called after him. Turning to Gibbs, he added, “He is really something, isn’t he?”

“Yep. But you have to admit he’s right about the name.”

“Maybe, but I doubt most people go around putting PE in front of NIS.”

“Doesn’t mean they’re not thinking about it.”

When they pulled away from the curb, Franks turned back to Tony. “So what would you rename our organization, Mr. Smart Ass College Kid?”

“Oh, I don’t know. Maybe, Naval Criminal Investigative Service. I mean, if you’re investigating something it must be because you believe a crime has been committed.”

“Then why bother adding it to the name?”

“Because then you’re NCIS. No one will snicker if PE gets stuck in front of it. PENCIS, is totally different than PENIS.”

“I’ll take it up with the Director. I’m sure he will be tickled pink to change all the building signage, our badges, stationary and whatever else we have NIS on.”

Gibbs looked at Mike and added, “You did just give me a NIS T-shirt.”

“You never know until you ask,” offered Tony. “But if you both want to work for a PENIS organization, I will say nothing more about it.”

Gibbs directed Franks to a small family owned Italian restaurant. “It was one of Shannon’s favorites,” he said.

Tony ordered cheese garlic bread and shared with the others.

“You look more relaxed than before, Gibbs,” he observed.

“Yeah, he does,” agreed Franks.

“Why not? I got my final mission done and have decided to come work at NIS.”

“When are you officially out of the Marines?” Tony asked.

“Another week. I have to report back in to Pendleton to wrap things up.”

“Then we’ll get you started. You’ll have to go to FLETC,” noted Franks.

“What’s that?” Tony asked.

Franks waited while their food was delivered, then explained, “Federal Law Enforcement Training Center.”

“Maybe I could go there instead of college.”

“I didn’t offer _you_ a job,” insisted Franks.

“I could be a cop.”

“No doubt,” added Gibbs as he dug into his lasagna.

After dinner, they returned to Gibbs’ house and sat in the kitchen drinking. There was beer in the refrigerator and Gibbs retrieved a bottle of bourbon from his basement.

“Is he old enough to drink?” Franks asked, indicating Tony.

“He’s eighteen. As long as he stays inside the house I don’t have a problem with it. I imagine you were well acquainted with alcohol by the time you were eighteen.”

Leaning back in his chair, Franks admitted, “That is true, but it was a different time. A different place.”

“Kid said he might join a Frat in college. He might as well get used to drinking.”

The two tapped their bourbon glasses together in a toast. “To our new partnership,” offered Franks. “And to Junior’s college life.”

Tony mostly stuck to beer, but managed to down a couple shots of bourbon before going to bed.


	6. Chapter Six

When he awoke the next morning, Tony had a horrible headache and found Gibbs lying beside him. Rolling closer, he placed his head on Gibbs’ chest.

“I hate hangovers,” mumbled Tony.

“There’s some Tylenol in the bathroom.”

“I just want to lie here and not move.”

“Okay,” said Gibbs as he wrapped an arm around Tony.

Five minutes later, Tony exclaimed, “Shit!”

“What?”

“I don’t want to move, but I have to pee really badly.”

“I don’t have any bedpans, so you better get moving. Take the Tylenol and drink a glass of water while you’re in there.”

“Okay,” Tony groaned. In the bathroom, he drank a full glass of water with his pills, then used his hands to scoop water from the faucet and splash it across his face.

“Better?” Gibbs asked when he saw Tony returning.

“Not yet,” Tony said. Once he was snuggled back against Gibbs, he added, “Better now.”

Tony had nearly dozed off when Gibbs, moved away from him.

“Don’t go.”

Looking back, Gibbs said, “I need some coffee. I’m sure Mike does, too.”

“Franks is still here?”

“I wasn’t going to let him drive home in his condition.”

“Does he know you’re sharing a bed with me?”

“I can’t imagine he would care. It’s not like we’re doing anything more than sleeping. I’ve slept in foxholes where we were packed in like sardines.”

“I’ll be down after my shower. Gibbs?”

“Yeah?”

“Why do you shower at night before you go to bed?”

“In the Marines you take your showers when you can. You might get the call to duty any time, any day. It’s not unusual to be woken up and given five minutes to get dressed, pack your duffle and be ready to go. Why do you shower in the morning?”

“If it’s been a good night, I’m dirty from sex. Don’t you like to shower after sex?”

“When I was home with my wife, yes. There are times when I showered twice in one day.”

“Me, too. I like to shower after practice, a game or a run.”

“Hit the showers, DiNozzo. Breakfast will be ready in a few minutes.”

“Don’t tell me. Eggs again.”

“I thought I’d make bacon and pancakes.”

“What’s the special occasion?”

“Maybe I’m trying to impress my new boss.”

Tony felt much better after they ate. Once they said their goodbyes to Mike Franks, Tony turned to Gibbs, “He’s a real hard ass, isn’t he?”

“I kind of like his style.”

“I guess that means you’re a hard ass, too!”

“I can be when I need to be.”

“Are you ever going to tell me what your last mission was?”

“Nope.”

“Because it’s classified?”

“Yes.”

Tony reached out his hand. “Come back upstairs, I wanted to show you something.”

As they entered the bedroom, Tony began stripping off his clothing.

“What the hell are you doing?”

“Going back to bed.”

“It’s daylight.”

“I didn’t say I was planning on sleeping.” Patting the mattress beside him, he urged, “Come back to bed. Join me. Preferably without your clothes.”

“Tony.”

“Gibbs! We’ve been sharing a bed for a few days. I know you get hard. I want to help you with that. Okay?”

Gibbs looked around the room. “I just buried my wife.”

“I know. That’s why I’m offering to help you.”

Pulling off his shirt first, Gibbs observed Tony watching him undress.

“Not bad, Gibbs.”

“You’re not so bad yourself,” admitted Gibbs as he crawled across the bed, naked.

When he reached Tony, he pressed their lips together. Closing his eyes, he concentrated only on the kiss. Eventually he moved his hand across Tony’s body. The boy was firm and muscular. He could feel the slightest movement.

When Tony pulled Gibbs close, they could feel each other’s cocks. Tony reached down for Gibbs’ and began stroking it.

“Nice,” he said.

“I thought it would be weird,” Gibbs said, “but it’s not.”

Rolling onto his back, Tony pulled Gibbs down on top of him. Pushing the sheets aside, Tony wrapped his legs around Gibbs torso, smiling as Gibbs began humping against him. As he embraced Gibbs’ body, Tony pressed his tongue between Gibbs’ lips.

When Gibbs began thrusting faster against him, Tony untangled their limbs and reached his hand down to finish the job. Breathing heavily, Gibbs rolled off to the side and looked up at the ceiling. 

Tony snuggled close and asked him, “How was that?”

“Interesting.”

“Interesting in a good way?”

“Yeah, in a very good way.”

Gibbs didn’t think anything of it when Tony asked if he could take the truck, so he could get some shopping done. While he was gone, Gibbs went outside to work on the yard and noticed the new plants Tony had put in.

“You’re one of a kind, DiNozzo,” he said aloud.

Tony returned an hour later with burgers, fries and a small bag.

“Thank you for the new flowers outside. They look great.”

“I was hoping you wouldn’t hate them.”

“Not at all. You did a fine job.”

“I sketched your yard and asked someone at the gardening center to help me choose a few that would look nice.”

“It’s perfect.”

“I wanted to thank you and cheer you up a little.”

“I appreciate it. What’s in the other bag? I thought you were getting college supplies, but that can’t be more than a swim suit.”

Smiling, Tony dumped out the contents, which include an assortment of condoms and lubricants. “I thought we could try something a little more interesting tonight.”

“Are you gay?”

“I’m not really into labels, Gibbs. I did attend an all-boys school, so I had to work with what was available.”

“Have you ever slept with a woman?”

“A couple. I like you, Gibbs. I think we’d be good together.”

“Don’t you think I’m a little old for you?”

“Not at all. And in case you were wondering,” Tony said as he grabbed a packet of condoms, waving them in the air. “I got vanilla flavored.”

“Vanilla flavored?”

“I thought you might lean toward vanilla sex.”

Gibbs rubbed his hand across his face.

“Have you ever slept with a guy?” asked Tony.

“Not really.”

“Honestly? With all those hot, sweaty Marine bodies around, I would think there was a little something going on here and there.”

“There probably was. The military has a don’t ask, don’t tell policy.”

“So you can’t ask and they can’t tell?”

“More or less.”

“Well, I’m asking. And the military policy doesn’t apply because you’ve accepted a job with NIS. Just how far have you gone with another guy?”

“Not much. It doesn’t really count.”

“You have me intrigued.”

“I’ve masturbated around other guys in the field,” Gibbs admitted.

“Really?”

“There usually isn’t much privacy.”

“So you do admit that sex is a physical need?”

“Maybe.”

“Then I think we have a date upstairs,” said Tony with a waggle of his eyebrows.

Standing still, Gibbs looked Tony over. Everything he’d been taught was telling him this was wrong, but his heart ached for someone to love and Tony could certainly fill that emptiness. There was no denying his fondness for the teen.

Tony placed his foot on the first step and reached his hand out. Smiling, Gibbs took hold of the offered hand, following Tony upstairs and into the bedroom.

They each watched as the other undressed. Gibbs had a couple battle scars, but was in excellent shape. Tony had never looked better, his body trim and taut from jogging. Crossing the room, Gibbs pulled Tony close and kissed him. 

“How are your ribs feeling?” he asked.

Sucking in his breath, Tony pressed his hand against his ribs. “Fully healed, as far as I can tell.”

Reaching forward, Gibbs placed his hand beside Tony’s, caressing the youth’s warm skin. Without saying another word, he led Tony over to the bed. Holding Tony close, Gibbs ran his hands across his skin and pressed his lips against Tony’s shoulder before working his way along his neck. Pausing briefly, he nibbled at Tony’s earlobe.

“Feels good,” said Tony, as he closed his eyes. “I like this.”

“You like what?” Gibbs asked.

“You, taking the lead in bed.”

Moving Tony onto his back, Gibbs peppered him with kisses, leaving a trail across his chest and abdomen. Spreading Tony’s legs apart, he positioned himself between them, gently nipping and kissing the inner thighs.

Stopping for a moment, Gibbs admired the cock before him and stroked it. Rubbing his thumb across the tip, he felt the pre-cum. Leaning in closer, he kissed the length of the shaft until he came to the tip. There, he pressed his tongue against it, licking the skin. A moment later, he took the cock into his mouth, sucking at it while he pumped the base.

Drawing his knees up, Tony had his legs against Gibbs torso. Grasping the sheets with his hands, he clenched his fingers together as he let the pleasurable feelings wash over him. Gibbs worked his tongue against Tony’s cock, taking notice of each time Tony shifted the slightest bit or took a breath.

Tony resisted thrusting into Gibbs’ mouth. He knew from experience it could be unpleasant to have someone fucking your mouth too hard. Instead, he concentrated on allowing Gibbs to work at his own pace. As his orgasm took hold of his body, Tony moaned in appreciation.

“I can’t believe you’ve never done that before,” Tony said when he caught his breath.

“Roll over,” commanded Gibbs as he gently guided Tony’s body. “I’m about to do something else I’ve never done before.”

Reaching over to the night table, Gibbs grabbed a condom. Tony listened as the condom pack was ripped open.

“Gibbs?”

“Yeah?”

“Not that I’m telling you what to do or anything, but it would help if you lubed me up, too.”

Looking down, it took a few moments before Gibbs realized Tony meant his hole rather than his penis. After spreading lube on his own cock, Gibbs placed a dab against Tony’s hole. Leaning over, he kissed the base of Tony’s back, then licked along his crack. Using his finger, he slowly pressed inside, intending to make sure Tony was suitably slick. 

Tony moaned again, causing Gibbs’ cock to harden. 

“Damn,” Gibbs said.

“What?”

“I want you so much. I never thought I would feel this way about another guy.”

Hidden from Gibbs’ view, Tony smiled broadly. “I wanted you since we were alone together out in the desert. I might have pushed the issue if it wasn’t for my ribs hurting so much.”

“We did have a chopper to catch,” Gibbs reminded him.

“We have time now.”

Taking the hint, Gibbs lined his cock up against Tony’s hole and pushed in, feeling the warmth of Tony’s body as the muscles closed in around his cock.

“Tight,” said Gibbs as he continued pressing in deeper.

“I’ll loosen up in a bit. Just move slowly at first.”

As he began thrusting deeply inside of Tony, Gibbs did his best to keep the pace slow at first. Each time he tried pushing in a little deeper. It was different than he was used to, but good all the same.

Tony hugged a pillow close to his chest, his ass propped up in the air. “Right there,” he said, catching Gibbs by surprise.

Feeling Tony tighten up around him, Gibbs began thrusting faster, trying to hit the same spot that appeared to be giving Tony the greatest pleasure. He could feel the slight dampness of sweat beginning to form has he took hold of Tony’s hips.

It wasn’t long before Gibbs came. Wrapping his arms around Tony, Gibbs kissed his back once more before pulling out and discarding the condom.

Tony wasted no time in cuddling up against Gibbs. 

That night, Gibbs fell asleep pressed close to Tony. When he woke up, they were spooning together and he couldn’t help but feel how right this seemed. Despite Tony being several years younger and a man, Gibbs couldn’t help the feelings of desire he had.

“Gibbs?” Tony asked when he woke up.

“Yeah?”

“Will you still think of me when I’m away at OSU?”

“I would imagine you are one difficult person to forget.”

“Do you think it would be okay if I came back here to spend my breaks with you?”

“You’re really not planning on going back to your father’s house, even for the holidays?”

“I’m sure I would have a lot more fun coming here.”

Embracing Tony tightly, Gibbs said, “You can come here as often as you like.”

 

~THE END~  
9 August 2014

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As there was far more artwork and animations created for the story by KJ_Svala, please be sure to 
> 
>  
> 
> **[View all the artwork/animations created for this story and leave feedback for the artist here on LJ](http://over-thehills.livejournal.com/91765.html)** or **[now posted here on AO3](http://archiveofourown.org/works/2474039)**.
> 
> Many Thanks!


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